Strawberry Almond Salad Dressing

As much as I like salads, I’ve never really liked most salad dressings I’ve tried. They’re usually oily and watery; I want something thick and hearty. Because of that I pretty much stuck to Caesar salad dressing and buffalo wing sauce to flavor my greens growing up. What could be more appetizing than a plate of iceburg lettuce with hot sauce and butter slathered on it? I’m not sure what I was thinking back then, either.

Enter this dressing, which has completely changed how I think of salad dressings. It’s not oily or watery; in fact, there’s no oil whatsoever. It has a thick body but you won’t find any cream in the ingredients. Instead this dressing gets its body from whole strawberries and almonds. What could be more delicious? It’s sweet with a tang and slight nuttiness—much better and better for you than buffalo wing sauce.

Strawberry Almond Salad Dressing(inspired by this recipe)

Ingredients(Makes 2 cups):

• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, stems removed
• 2 Tablespoons almond butter
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• ~1/4 cup water to thin

Method:

1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the water into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Slowly incorporate the water while still blending until the dressing reaches a thin consistency.
3. Bottle and keep stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Since it’s fresh without any preservatives, use this dressing quickly to make sure it stays fresh. Something tells me that won’t be a problem; you’ll never go back to bottled again.